Prosecutors in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs have, over the past six weeks, presented what they described as extensive evidence of physical abuse and coercion.
They allege the music mogul directed former girlfriends to engage in sex acts with paid male escorts while he watched or filmed the encounters.
Combs, 55, who founded Bad Boy Records and is widely recognised for shaping hip-hop culture in the US, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sex trafficking, as well as charges of racketeering conspiracy and transportation for prostitution. The sex trafficking charges carry the heaviest penalty, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a possible life sentence if convicted.
Prosecutors are expected to close their case on Tuesday at the Manhattan federal court, after which the defence team will begin presenting its case. While prosecutors have focused on allegations of coercion and violence, the defence is likely to emphasise moments of apparent consent to argue that the acts were not criminal.
Legal experts note that to secure a conviction on the trafficking charges, prosecutors must prove not only that the sex acts were commercial in nature, but also that force, fraud, threats, or coercion were used to compel participation. “There’s got to be a linkage between the force, fraud and coercion and the participation in the sex act,” said Sarah Krissoff, a former federal prosecutor. “There is some murky testimony and evidence in there regarding that, and the defence is certainly going to hammer that.”
The prosecution has described years of alleged abuse involving Casandra Ventura, a rhythm and blues artist, and another woman referred to as Jane. According to prosecutors, both women were subjected to drug-fuelled, multi-day sexual encounters, sometimes referred to as “Freak Offs”, which took place in hotel rooms and involved male sex workers. The women testified that Combs would often watch, masturbate, and sometimes record the events.
While Combs’ defence team has not disputed the occurrence of the sex acts or denied that he was abusive in domestic relationships, they have drawn attention to explicit messages and displays of affection from the women. During cross-examination, the jury was shown text exchanges in which the women appeared to express love for Combs.
Both women testified that, at times, they engaged in the acts to please Combs and continued participating even after episodes of violence. The defence is expected to use this testimony to raise doubts about the alleged coercion, with the goal of persuading at least one juror that the encounters were consensual.
To convict Combs on any of the five counts he faces, all twelve jurors must reach a unanimous verdict that the charges have been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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